COMMENDED ESSAY, 1894. 
383 
parts of his line. A sudden and overpowering storm of shells, which 
are termed by Colonel Langlois “ rafales ” may thus effect much. 1 
It is noted, however, that such a manoeuvre will demand very exact 
training on the part of the artillery which undertakes it, if the vast ex¬ 
penditure of ammunition entailed is to be justified, and that it is only 
very highly-schooled batteries, backed up by prompt and perfect ar¬ 
rangements for the supply of ammunition, which could carry it out 
with success. 
There is one other point which may be noted here, for it applies to 
every position which guns occupy where there are several batteries in 
line. It is sometimes thought, and possibly in one respect with justice, 
that exact drill and dressing are but of little importance now-a-days to 
artillery, or that, at anyrate, too much attention has been hitherto paid 
to them. In order, however, to ensure that the full activity of every 
battery shall be available for every emergency it is desirable, if pos¬ 
sible, that they take up a correct alignment, otherwise it may happen 
that when fire has to be turned to a flank some of the guns may mask 
the fire of the others. Thus, if several batteries be drawn up on an 
uneven or slightly curved line and it should be necessary to turn fire 
considerably away from the target immediately in front of them, some 
of the guns in the centre may mask the fire of those on the flanks. 
Similarly, if the line of batteries be curved inwardly, those in the centre 
may find their fire interfered with by those that stand to their right or 
left. Moreover, to facilitate ranging it is desirable that the correct in¬ 
tervals between batteries be observed. The crest line of the height 
occupied should also run, if possible, at right angles to the proposed 
line of fire, otherwise the batteries may be enfiladed from some other 
portions of the enemy's position, a notable example of this form of 
error being supplied us in the faulty position of the guns of the German 
9th Corps, west of Champenois, at the battle of Gravelotte. And when 
it is impossible to find suitable ground at right angles to the line of fire 
the artillery leader will have carefully to consider whether it is better that 
the individual guns stand in echelon along the crest line, or whether 
the batteries should be placed at right angles to the line of fire, and 
themselves be in echelon, while their guns are in line. 
The Advance from the First into the Second and other 
Subsequent Positions. 
We now approach a portion of the subject where the question of how 
the batteries are to be manoeuvred during an engagement becomes the 
dominant one. 
Whatever may have been accomplished on the drill ground, it is 
probably not an exaggeration to say that no man can personally handle 
a number of batteries under fire by voice or gesture, or control them 
in the manner that the leader of a Cavalry Regiment can grasp his 
squadrons. The noise, the excitement, the very rattle of the materiel 
will prevent this—only an exceptional man can do it under any circum¬ 
stances, and in war we must legislate for mediocrity, not for genius. 
1 “ L’Artillerie de Compagne,” Vol. I., p. 396, etc. 
S?? also “ Journal of United Service Institution,” Vol. XXXVII., p. 948, 
